Milled edge coin tester



Feb. 25, 1969 e. F. ERICKSON MILLED EDGE COIN TESTER Sheet of 4 Filed June 15, 1967 m T N E V m GUSTAV F. ER/CKSON K/NGSL ANQ ROGERS, EZEL 1., E/./ [R8 8 ROBE/NS A r TORNEVS.

Feb. 25, 1969 G. F. ERICKSON 3,429,413

MILLED EDGE com TESTER Filed June 15, 1967 Sheet 2 of 4 .Qun mun-=- iia-fi Feb. 25, 1969 F, ERICKSON 3,429,413

MILLED EDGE COIN TESTER Filed June 15, 1967 36 z wiiiifl z/ Fig. 127;

Feb. 25, 1969 cs. F. ERICKSON 3,429,413

MILLED EDGE COIN TESTER Filed June 15, 1967 Sheet 4 of4 nite States ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A coin-receiving member is rotatably mounted adjacent a coin passageway and has a coin-holding element thereon which can underlie and support a coin or slug moving through that coin passageway as long as that coinreceiving member is in its normal position but that can free that coin or slug after that coin-receiving member has rotated to its coin-releasing position, has a pressureapplying member which can urge that coin or slug into intimate engagement with one face of that coin-receiving member as that coin-receiving member rotates from its normal position toward its coin-releasing position, and has a sensing member which has milling at the periphery thereof and which normally is disposed so a coin or slug can freely move into engagement with the coin-holding element on the coin-receiving member but which is movable into intimate engagement with the periphery of that coin or slug after that coin or slug has been intercepted and held by that coin-holding element; and that sensing member responds to a coin which has milling at the periphery thereof and which rotates with the coin-receiving member to move an accept-reject mechanism to coinaccepting position but does not respond to a coin without milling at the periphery thereof to move that acceptreject mechanism to coin-accepting position, and that coinreceiving member and that pressure-applying member and that sensing member element free that coin or slug as that coin-receiving member approaches its coin-releasing position.

This invention relates to improvements in coin-handling devices. More particularly, this invention relates to improvements in coin-handling devices which can separate coins that have milling at the peripheries thereof from coins or slugs that do not have milling at the peripheries thereof.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved coin-handling device which can separate a coin that has milling at the periphery thereof from coins or slugs that do not have milling at the peripheries thereof.

The coin-handling device provided by the present invention has a coin-receiving member which is rotatably mounted adjacent a coin passageway and which has a coin-holding element thereon that will intercept and hold a coin or slug moving through that coin passageway; and that coin-handling device has a sensing member which has milling at the periphery thereof and which normally is disposed so a coin or slug can freely move into engagement with that coin-receiving member but which is movable into intimate engagement with the periphery of that coin or slug after that coin or slug has been intercepted and held by the coin-holding element on that coin-receiving member. That sensing member will help support the coin or slug, which is held by the coin-holding element on the coin-receiving member, as that coin-receiving member rotates from its normal position to its coin-releasing position; but that sensing member will move away from the periphery of that coin or slug, as that coin-receiving member approaches its coin-releasing position, to facilitate the freeing of that coin or slug from that coin-receiving member. The initial disposition of the sensing member enables a coin or slug to solidly engage the coinholding element on the coin-receiving member, the movement of that sensing member into engagement with the periphery of that coin or slug will enable that sensing member to sense for the presence or absence of milling at the periphery of that coin or slug, and the subsequent movement of that sensing member away from that coin or slug will facilitate the freeing of that coin or slug from that coin-receiving member. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a coin-handling device that has a coin-receiving member which is rotatably mounted adjacent a coin passageway and which has a coin-holding element thereon that will intercept and hold a coin or slug moving through that coin passageway, and that has a sensing member which has milling at the periphery thereof and which normally is disposed so a coin or slug can freely move into engagement with that coinreceiving member but which is movable into engagement with the periphery of that coin or slug after that coin or slug has been intercepted and held by the coin-holding element on that coin-receiving member.

A coin or slug which is introduced into the coin-handling device provided by the present invention will be directed into face-to-face engagement with the coin-receiving member of that coin-handling device; and a pressure-applying member will engage that coin or slug and will urge that coin or slug into intimate engagement with one face of that coin-receiving member. That pressureapplying member will hold that coin or slug in intimate engagement with that face of that coin-receiving member, but will permit relative movement between that coin and itself so that coin can rotate with that coin-receiving memher. As that coin-receiving member approaches its coinreleasing position, that pressure-applying member Will move away from that coin-receiving member, and thus will enable that coin or slug to fall away from that coinreceiving member. As a result, the coin-handling device provided by the present invention can hold slugs or coins in intimate engagement with one face of the coin-receiving member thereof as that coin-receiving member rotates those coins or slugs toward its coin-releasing position, but can permit those coins or slugs to fall away from that coin-receiving member as that coin-receiving member reaches its coin-releasing position. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a coin-handling device which has a rotatable coin-receiving member mounted adjacent a coin passageway and which has a pressure-applying member that can urge coins or slugs into intimate engagement with one face of that coin-receiving member as that coin-receiving member rotates toward its coin-releasing position but which will permit that pressure-applying member to release those coins or slugs as that coin-receiving member reaches it coin releasing position.

The coin-handling device provided by the present invention rotates each coin or slug, that engages and is held by the coin-receiving member thereof, to the same position; and hence all of those coins and slugs will fall away from that coin-receiving member at about the same location. This is important; because it simplifies the task of releasing coins or slugs from that coin-receiving member. Moreover, once a coin or slug has been released from that coin-receiving member, that coin or slug will move downwardly toward an accept-reject mechanism; and that accept-reject mechanism will effect movement of unacceptable slugs or coins toward the rejected coin chute and will effect movement of acceptable coins toward the accepted coin chute. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a coin-handling device which has a coinreceiving member that rotates all coins or slugs to the same coin-releasing position, so that all of those coins or slugs will be freed from that coin-receiving member in about the same location, and which has an accept-reject mechanism that will effect movement of unacceptable slugs or coins toward a rejected coin chute and that will effect movement of acceptable coins toward an accepted coin chute.

The pressure-applying member of the coin-handling device provided by the present invention applies a positive and finite force to each coin or slug which is introduced into that coin-handling device to urge that coin or slug into intimate engagement with one face of the coinreceiving member of that coin-handling device. That force will be independent of gravity; and thus it will be substantially unaffected by any tilting of that coin-handling device or of the vending or other machine in which that coin-handling device is mounted. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a coin-handling device wherein a pressure-applying member applies a positive and finite force, which is not dependent upon gravity, to each coin or slug introduced into that coinhandling device to hold that coin or slug in engagement with the coin-receiving member of that coin-handling device.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention should be come apparent from an examination of the drawing and accompanying description.

In the drawing and accompanying description a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and described, but it is to be understood that the drawing and accompanying description are for the purpose of illustration only and do not limit the invention and that the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a partially broken-away, front elevational view of one preferred embodiment of coin-handling device that is made in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a partially broken-away, partially sectioned view of the rear of the coin-handling device shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a partially broken-away, plan view of the coin-handling device shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a partially broken-away, sectional view through the coin-handling device shown in FIG. 1 and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 44 in FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is another sectional view through the coin-handling device shown in FIG. 1, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 5-5 in FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 is a partially broken-away, front elevational view of the upper part of the coin-handling device shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 7 is a partially broken-away, front elevational view of part of the coin-handling device shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the electrical components of the coin-handling device shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 9 is a partially broken-away, front elevational view of the upper portion of a second preferred embodiment of coin-handling device that is made in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention,

FIG. 10 is a sectional view through the coin-handling device shown in FIG. 9, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 10-10 in FIG. 9,

FIG. 11 is a sectional view through the coin-handling device shown in FIG. 9, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 1111 in FIG. 10,

FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the coin-handling device shown in FIG. 9,

FIG. 13 is another sectional view through the coin-handling device shown in FIG. 9, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 13-13 in FIG. 10,

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a coin-intercepting element used in the coin-handling device shown in FIG. 9,

FIG. 15 is a partially broken-away, front elevational view of a third preferred embodiment of coin-handling device that is made in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a partially sectioned, rear view of the coinhandling device shown in FIG. 16, and

FIG. 17 is a sectional view through the coin-handling device shown in FIG. 15, and it is taken along the plane indicated by the line 17ll7 in FIG. 16.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral 30 denotes a wall of one preferred embodiment of coin-handling device that is made in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention. That wall has a foot 32 which extends rearwardly from the plane defined by that wall, as shown by FIG. 5; and that foot has an upwardly-extending flange 34. A generally circular opening 36 is formed in the wall 30; and that opening has a small diameter portion and a larger diameter portion which coact to define radially-extending shoulders 38 and 39. The radially-directed shoulder 38 is adjacent the bottom of the opening 36, and the radially-directed shoulder 39 is adjacent the top of that opening. The numeral 40 denotes a rectangular opening in the wall 30; and that opening is disposed to the left of the opening 36, as those openings are viewed in FIG. 2. The numeral 42 denotes a pin which is located adjacent the top of the wall 30, as shown by FIG. 1, and which extends forwardly from that wall, as shown by FIG. 3. A pivot 44 also is secured to the wall 30, and it extends forwardly from the wall. That pivot is disposed to the left of, and below the level of, the pin 42, as shown by FIG. I. An Opening 45 is formed in the wall 30 below the level of the opening 36, as shown by FIG. 1; and the former opening is small and is circular in configuration.

A vertically-directed spacer 46 abuts the front face of the wall 30 above and immediately to the left of the opening 36, as that opening is viewed in FIG. 1; and a vertically-directed spacer 48 abuts the front face of that wall above and immediately to the right of that opening, as that opening is viewed in FIG. 1. A wall 50 abuts the front faces of the spacers 46 and 48; and machine screws 52 extend through aligned openings in that wall and in those spacers to seat in threaded openings in the wall 30. The wall 50 and the spacers 46 and 48 coact with the wall 30 to define a coin passageway 53. A pivot 54 is secured to the wall 50 and extends forwardly from the outer face of that wall; and an L-shaped bracket 56 is secured to and extends forwardly from the front face of that wall, and that L-shaped bracket is disposed above the level of the pivot 54.

The numeral 58 denotes a separator of triangular configuration; and that separator abuts the lower portion of the front face of the wall 30, as shown by FIG. 5. A guide 60 of triangular configuration also abuts the front face of the wall 30; and that guide is disposed to the right of and slightly above the level of the separator 58, as that guide and separator are viewed in FIG. 1. A wall 62 abuts the front faces of the separator 58 and the guide 60, and that wall is spaced forwardly of the front face of the wall 30 by that separator and by that guide. A machine screw 64 extends through aligned openings in the wall 62 and in the separator 58 to seat in a threaded opening in the wall 30.

The numeral 66 denotes generally an eletromagnet; and that electromagnet has a coil 67. A machine screw 68 extends through aligned openings in the frame of the electromagnet 68, in the wall 62, and in the triangular guide 60 to seat in threaded openings in the wall 30; and a machine screw 69 extends through an opening in the frame of the electromagnet 66 to seat in a threaded opening in the wall 62. The electromagnet 66 has an armature 70; and that armature has an elongated, forwardly-offset extension 72, as shown by FIG. 5. A dimple 74 is formed on the free end of the extension 72 of the armature 70; and that dimple extends rearwardly from that extension and is generally in register with the geometric center of the opening 36 in the wall 30. A helical extension spring 73 has one end thereof hooked around the frame of the electromagnet 66, and has the other end thereof hooked around an ear on the armature 70. That spring will bias the dimple 74 forwardly and away from the wall but the armature will respond to energization of the coil 67 to overcome the bias supplied by the spring 73, and will move that dimple rearwardly toward the Wall 30.

The numeral 76 denotes a vertically-directed lever which is rotatably mounted on the pivot 44; and that lever has a forwardly-extending ear 78 at the top thereof. A helical extension spring 82 has one end thereof hooked through an opening in the ear 78 of the lever 76, as shown by FIG. 3; and that spring has the other end thereof hooked around the pin 42. That spring biases the lever 76 for rotation in the clockwise direction in FIG. 1, but it can yield to permit rotation of that lever in the counterclockwise direction. A C-washer 84 fits into a groove adjacent the forward end of the pivot 44 to prevent accidental separation of the lever 76 from that pivot. A washer 86 encircles that pivot and is disposed between the rear face of the lever 76 and the front face of the wall 30; and that washer will act as a spacer to dispose the lever 76 forwardly of the front face of the wall 30. A pin 88 is carried by the lever 76, and that pin extends forwardly from the front face of that lever. A circular disc 94, which has milling at the periphery thereof, is disposed adjacent the bottom portion of the rear face of the lever 76, and an L-shaped bracket 92 is disposed adjacent the rear face of that circular disc; and a shouldered machine screw 90 extends forwardly through aligned openings in that L-shaped bracket and in that circular disc to seat in a threaded opening in the lower end of that lever. Preferably, the opening in the L-shaped bracket 92 is small enough that it must be pressed over the shoulder of the shouldered machine screw 90; but the opening in the circular disc 94 is large enough to enable that disc to rotate freely relative to that shouldered machine screw. A long pin 96 is carried by, and extends forwardly from, the circular disc 94; and a shorter pin 98 also is carried by, and extends forwardly from, that disc. A helical extension spring 100 has one end thereof hooked around the pin 98, and has the other end thereof hooked around the pin 88 carried by the lever 76. That helical extension spring biases the circular disc 94 for clockwise rotation in FIG. 1 relative to the lever 76, but it can yield to permit counter clockwise rotation of that disc relative to that lever. Normally, that helical extension spring will hold the pin 98 in engagement with the left-hand edge of the lever 76, as shown by FIG. 1.

The numeral 102 denotes a switch that is disposed to the right of the circular disc 94, as that switch and disc are viewed in FIG. 1; and that switch has an actuator 104 which extends to the left. Spacers 106 are disposed between the wall 30 and the switch 102; and those spacers hold the actuator 104 of that switch in register with the pin 96 which is carried by the circular disc 94. Machine screws 108 extend through aligned openings in the housing of the switch 102 and in the spacers 106 to seat in threaded openings in the wall 30.

The numeral 110 denotes washer-like spacers which are disposed at the rear face of the wall 30 immediately above and immediately below the opening 36, as shown by FIG. 5. A strut 112 spans the opening 36; and screws 114 extend through aligned openings in the upper and lower ends of that strut and in the spacers 110 to seat in threaded openings in the wall 30. Those screws and those spacers fixedly hold that strut in register with a diameter of the opening 36. A sleeve 116 is secured to, and extends rearwardly from, the strut 112; and that sleeve rotatably supports a shaft 118, as shown by FIG. 4. A sleeve 120 is secured to the shaft 118 by a pin 122; and that pin projects outwardly beyond the periphery of that sleeve. A torsion spring 124 encircles the sleeve 116; and that spring has one end thereof hooked around the strut 112 while having the other end thereof hooked around the pin 122 which is carried by the sleeve 120.

The numeral 126 denotes a source of motive power for the shaft 118; and that source of motive power can be a stall motor equipped with a clutch, a rotary solenoid, or the like. Spacers 128 extend rearwardly from the wall 30 to fixedly hold that source of motive power rearwardly of that wall. The numeral 130 denotes a circular disc which is fixedly secured to the forward end of the shaft 118; and that disc has a front surface which has a high coefiicient of friction. That front surface can be a roughened metal surface, or can be a layer of cork, rubber, elastomeric plastic or the like. A long car 132 is formed on the disc 130 and extends forwardly from that disc; and a shorter car 134 also is formed on that disc and extends forwardly from that disc. The ear 132 is much narrower than any coin or slug which will be introduced into the coin passageway 53; and so is the ear 134. A short pin 136 extends rearwardly from the disc 130; and that pin and the car 134 and the forward end of the shaft 118 lie close to a horizontal diameter of that disc, whenever that disc is in its normal position. The long car 132 is adjacent the bottom of the disc 130, whenever that disc is in its normal position. A washer 131 loosely encircles the shaft 118 between the disc 130 and the strut 112, and that washer will facilitate rotation of that disc relative to that strut.

The numeral 138 denotes a lever which is disposed adjacent the front face of the wall 50; and that lever is rotatably supported by the pivot 54. That lever inclines from lower left to upper right in FIG. 1; and the left-hand end of that lever extends downwardly below the bottom edge of the wall 50, while an ear 140 at the right-hand end of that lever extends beyond the right-hand edge of that wall and then extends rearwardly toward the wall 30. The ear 140 on the right-hand end of the lever 138 is in register with and confronts the left-hand edge of the lever 76. The left-hand end of the lever 138 is in the path of the car 132 on the disc 130; but it is disposed forwardly of the path of the ear 134 on that disc as shown by FIG. 5.

The numeral 142 denotes a switch that is disposed to the left of the circular disc 94, as that switch and disc are viewed in FIG. 1 and that switch has an actuator 144 that extends to the right. Spacers 146 are disposed between the switch 142 and the wall 30; and those spacers hold the actuator 144 of that switch in register with the ear 132 on the disc 130. Machine screws 148 extend through 0 aligned openings in the housing of the switch 142 and in the spacers 146 to seat in threaded openings in the wall 30.

The numeral 150 denotes an L-shaped lever which is disposed adjacent the rear face of the wall 30; and that lever is rotatably mounted on a pivot 156 which is secured and which extends rearwardly from that rear face of that wall. An ear 152 extends rearwardly from the upper end of that lever, and that ear has an opening 154 therein; and an car 158 extends rearwardly from the right-hand end of the foot of that lever, as shown particularly by FIG. 2. A helical extension spring 160 has one end thereof hooked through the opening 154 in the ear 152 at the upper end of the lever 150; and the other end of that spring is hooked around a pin 162 which is secured to, and which extends rearwardly from, the wall 30. That helical extension spring biases the lever 150 for rotation in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 2; but it can yield to permit rotation of that lever in the clockwise direction.

The numeral 164 generally denotes an electromagnet which is secured to the upwardly-extending flange 34 on the foot 32 of the wall 30. That electromagnet has a coil 166, an armature 168, and a helical extension spring 172 that is secured to the frame of that electromagnet and to the aramture 168. That armature has an ear thereon which can extend through the opening 45 in the wall 30 into a coin passageway 173 formed by the wall 62 and by the wall 30. The spring 172 biases the ear 170 on the armature 168 for movement through the opening 45 and into the coin passageway 173; but that armature can respond to energization of the coil 166 to overcome the bias provided by that spring and move that ear out of that coin passageway.

The numeral 174 denotes a switch that is secured to the -L-shaped bracket 56 at the front of the wall 50 by screws 175; and that switch has an elongated actuator 176 that extends downwardly below the lower edge of the wall 50. That actuator has a coin-feeling portion 178 which is bent downwardly and rearwardly, as that actuator is viewed in FIG. 5. That coin-feeling portion normally abuts the front face of the circular disc 130; and, whenever that coin-feeling portion abuts that front face, the switch 174 will be open. However, that switch will close whenever the coin-feeling portion 178 of the actuator 176 is moved forwardly and away from that circular disc by a coin or slug.

The numeral 180 denotes a conductor which is connected to the movable contact of the switch 174 and which is connectable to one side of a source of electric power. The numeral 182 denotes a conductor which is connectable to the other side of the source of electric power, and which is connected to one terminal of the source 126 of motive power, to one terminal of the coil 67 of the electromagnet 66, and to one terminal of the coil 166 of the electromagnet 164. The other terminal of the source 126 of motive power is connected to the fixed contact of the switch 174 and to the movable contact of the switch 142. The other terminal of the coil 67 is connected to the upper fixed contact of the switch 142, and the other terminal of the coil 166 is connected to the fixed contact of the switch 102. The movable contact of the switch 102 is connected to the lower fixed contact of the switch 142. FIG. 8 shows the normal, at-rest positions of the electrical corn ponents of the coin-handling device of FIGS. l-8. The numeral 184 in FIG. 4 denotes a coin which has milling at the periphery thereof; and the numeral 186 denotes the accepted coin chute, while the numeral 188 denotes the rejected coin chute, of the coin-handling device of FIG. 1.

In the normal, at-rest positions of the components of the coin-handling device shown in FIG. 1, the torsion spring 124 biases the car 132 on the circular disc 130 into engagement with the radially-directed shoulder 38 of the opening 36 in the wall 30; and, whenever that ear is in engagement with that shoulder, that ear will underlie the coin passageway 53, and thus will intercept and hold any coin or slug moving downwardly through that coin passageway. Also, whenever the ear 132 is in engagement with the shoulder 38, the pin 136 at the rear face of the circular disc 130 will hold the L-shaped lever 150 so the ear 158 thereon is out of register with the armature 168 of the electromagnet 164 at the rear of the wall 30; and, as a result, the spring 172 of that electromagnet will holdthe ear 170 on that armature in the passageway 173 to keep coins from passing to the left of the separator 58, and thus to keep those coins from passing to the accepted coin chute 186. The spring 82 will urge the pivot 90 at the lower end of the lever 76 to the left in FIG. 1, and thus will urge the circular disc 94 toward the car 134 on the circular disc 130; but the L-shaped bracket 92, which extends rearwardly from the circular disc 94, will engage the L-shaped lever 150 and will thus initially keep the latter circular disc far enough away from the ear 134 on the rotatable disc 130 to enable coins or slugs to move into engagement with the ear 132 on that last-mentioned circular disc. The coil 67 of the electromagnet 66 will be de-energized; and hence the dimple 74 on the armature extension 72 will initially be spaced far enough forwardly of the front face of the circular disc 130 to enable coins or slugs to move into engagement with the ear 132 on the circular disc 130. The initial dispositions of the circular disc 94 and of the dimple 74 are important; because they enable any coin or slug, which is introduced into the coin passageway 53, to move down into full engagement with the ear 132 and with the front face of the circular disc 130.

The lever 138 will respond to gravity to dispose the car 140 thereof in abutting engagement with the right-hand edge of the wall 50, as that wall is viewed in FIG. 1. The helical extension spring will hold the pin 98 on the circular disc 94 in engagement with the left-hand edge of the lever 76, as that lever is viewed in FIG. 1. The source 126 of motive power will be de-energized, and the coil 166 of the electromagnet 164 also will be de-energized. The coin-feeling portion 178 of the actuator 176 will be hearing against the front face of the circular disc 130; and hence the switch 174 will be open. The actuators 104 and 144, respectively, of the switches 102 and 142 will be in the solid line positions shown in FIG. 1; and hence the former switch will be open, while the movable contact of the latter switch will be in engagement with the upper fixed contact of that switch.

When a coin or slug is introduced into the coin passageway 53, the walls 30 and 50 and the spacers 46 and 48 which define that coin passageway will guide that coin or slug downwardly until it comes to rest upon the car 132 of the circular disc 130. At such time, the bottom. of the periphery of that coin or slug will engage and be supported by the ear 132, the left-hand portion of the periphery of that coin or slug will be immediately adjacent, and may actually engage and be supported by, the ear 134, the right-hand portion of the periphery of that coin or slug will be immediately adjacent, and may actually engage and be supported by, the periphery of the circular disc 94, and the upper portion of that coin or slug will be disposed within the coin passageway 53 and thus will be supported by the walls 30 and 50. The initial spacing between the periphery of the circular disc 94 and the ear 134 on the circular disc 130 may be greater than the diameter of the coin or slug; and hence, initially, that coin or slug may not simultaneously engage the periphery of the circular disc 94 and the car 134 on the circular disc 130.

Just before that coin or slug moves into engagement with the ear 132 on the circular disc 130, it will engage the coin-feeling portion 178 of the actuator 176, and thus will move that actuator far enough to close the switch 174. As shown by FIG. 8, the closing of that switch will energize the source 126 of motive power, and also will energize the coil 67 of the electromagnet 66. The energization of that coil will cause the armature 70 of that coil to move toward the magnetic core of that electromagnet; and, thereupon, the armature extension 72 will move toward the wall 30, and the dimple 74 on that armature extension will engage the central portion of the coin or slug and will press that coin or slug against the front face of the circular disc 134). Because that front face has a high coefficient of friction, the pressure applied to that coin or slug will prevent relative rotation between that coin or slug and the rotatable disc 130. Because the dimple 74 has a generally spherical surface, and because that dimple is substantially in register with the axis of rotation of the circular disc 130, that circular disc will be able to rotate any coin or slug, which is pressed against the front face thereof, without excessive frictional resistance from that dimple and without the application of substantial eccentrically-directed dislodging forces to that coin or slug by that dimple.

The energization of the source 126 of motive power will cause that source of motive power to rotate the shaft 118, and hence the circular disc 130 and the coin or slug held thereby, in the clockwise direction in FIG. 1. If the inserted coin has milling at the periphery thereof, and if the periphery of that coin simultaneously engages the ear 134 on the circular disc 130 and the milling at the periphery of the circular disc 94, the milling at the periphery of that coin will coact with the milling at the periphery of the later circular disc to cause that circular disc to rotate in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 1. This means that the circular disc 130 and the milled coin held thereby will be rotating in the clockwise direction, and the circular disc 94 will be rotating in the counterclockwise direction.

As the circular disc 130 rotates in the clockwise direction of FIG. 1, it will rotate in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 2; and the later rotation will cause the pin 136 on that circular disc to move downwardly and to the rightand thus out of the path of the L-shaped lever 150. That lever will then respond to the force applied by the helical extension spring 160 to rotate toward the dottedline position in FIG. 2; and, immediately, the spring 82 will force the milling at the periphery of the circular disc 94 into intimate engagement with the milling at the periphery of the coin at the front face of the circular disc 130. This means that even if the spring 82 was not initially able, because of the engagement between the L-shaped bracket 92 and the L-shaped lever 150, to force the milling at the periphery of the circular disc 94 into intimate engagement with the milling at the periphery of the coin at the front face of the circular disc 130, that spring will be enabled to do so shortly after the circular disc 130 starts to rotate. While the .L-shaped lever 150 will start rotating toward the dotted-line position in FIG. 2 shortly after the circular disc 130 starts to rotate, that L-shaped lever will quickly engage the left-hand edge of the armature 168 of the electromagnet 166; and hence that L-shaped lever will be kept from rotating fully into that dotted-line position as long as the coil 166 of the electromagnet 1'64 remains de-energized.

Continued rotation of the circular disc 130 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 1 will move the ear 134 thereon upwardly to a position above the shaft 118, and will rotate the ear 132 toward the actuator 144 of the switch 142. Corresponding counterclockwise rotation of the circular disc 94 in FIG. 1 will move the pin 96 thereon toward the actuator 104 of the switch 102. The coin adjacent the front face of the circular disc 130 will continue to be held in engagement with that front face by the action of the dimple 74 on the armature extension 72, by the action of the ear 132, and by the action of the milling at the periphery of the circular disc 94.

Shortly before the ear 132 on the circular disc 130 engages the actuator 144 of the switch 142 and moves that actuator far enough upwardly to actuate that switch, the pin 96 on the circular disc 94 will engage the actuator 104 of the switch 102 and move that actuator far enough upwardly to close that switch. The closing of the latter switch will pre-set the energizing circuit for the coil 1166 of the electromagnet 164, as shown by FIG. 8. Further clockwise rotation of the circular disc 130, by the source 126 of motive power, will cause the ear 132 thereon to move the actuator 144 of the switch 142 far enough upwardly to shift the movable contact of that switch down out of engagement with the upper fixed contact and into engagement with the lower fixed contact of that switch. As the movable contact of the switch 142 moves down out of engagement with the upper fixed contact of that switch, the coil 67 of the electromagnet 66 will become de-energized, and, thereupon, the spring 73 will move the dimple 74 on the armature extension 72 forwardly and away from the coin which is disposed adjacent the front face of the circular disc 130. However, that coin will remain adjacent the front face of that circular disc because of the support which it will continue to receive from the ear 132 and from the milling at the periphery of the circular disc 94. Consequently, the de-energization of the coil 67 of the electromagnet 66 will not have any immediate effect upon the operation of the coin-handling device.

The movement of the movable contact of the switch 142 down into engagement with the lower fixed contact of that switch will energize the coil 166 of the electromagnet 164; and, thereupon, the armature 168 of that electromagnet will move the ear 170 out of the coin passageway 173. Immediately, the helical extension spring 160 will rotate the L-shaped lever 150 fully into the dotted-line position in FIG. 2 wherein the ear 158 on that L-shaped lever will be interposed between the wall 30 and the armature 168 of the electromagnet 164. Thereafter, the L-shaped lever 150 and the ear 158 thereon will hold the ear 170 on the armature 168 of the electromagnet 164 out of the passageway 173, even when the movable contact of the switch 142 moves back up out of engagement with the lower fixed contact of that switch and even when the switch 102 re-opens. Not until the L-shaped lever 150 is rotated back toward the solid-line position shown in FIG. 2 can the ear 170 on the armature 168 re-enter the coin passageway 17 3; and this is important, because that rotation will not occur immediately, and the resulting time delay will give an acceptable coin enough time to fall away from the circular disc and to fall downwardly past the opening 45 and to the left of the separator 58 to enter the accepted coin chute 186.

The switch 174 will continue to be held in closed position by the engagement between the coin-receiving portion 178 of the actuator 176 of that switch and the coin at the front face of the circular disc 130; and hence the source 126 of motive power will continue to be energized. As a result, that source of motive power will continue to rotate the circular disc 130 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 1; and the ear 132 on that circular disc will move the actuator 144 of the switch 142 far enough upwardly to enable that car to engage the lower end of the lever 138, as shown particularly by FIG. 6. Further rotation of that circular disc in the clockwise direction in FIG. 1 will enable the ear 132 to rotate the lever 138 in the clockwise direction about the pivot 54; and such rotation will cause the car 140 on the right-hand end of that lever to engage the lever 76 and to force that lever to rotate in the counter clockwise direction about the pivot 44. Such rotation of the lever 76 will move the circular disc 94 to the right in FIG. 1, and will thus move the milling at the periphery of that circular disc out of engagement with the milling at the periphery of the coin held adjacent the front face of the circular disc 130. As the circular disc 94 is moved to the right, the coin which it was helping hold adjacent the front face of the circular disc 130 will fall downwardly, will pass below the opening 45, will engage the left-hand edge of the upper end of the separator 58, and will thus be directed to the accepted coin chute 186. Specifically, that coin will move down to the position 190 indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 7 and will engage the left-edge of the top of the separator 58, and then that coin will pass down to and through the position 192 indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 7. Thereafter, that coin will pass down into the accepted coin chute 186, and will then pass to the cash box.

At the instant the circular disc 94 was moved to the right, and thus out of engagement with the milling at the periphery of the coin held adjacent the front face of the circular disc 130, the restorative forces within the spring 100 rotated the former circular disc in the clockwise direction until the pin 98 thereon ire-engaged the left-hand edge of the lever 76. As the circular disc 94 was so rotated, the pin 96 thereon moved downwardly out of engagement with the actuaor 104 of the switch 102 and permitted that switch to re-open-with resulting de-energization of the coil 166 of the electromagnet 164. While the restorative forces of the spring 172 of that electromagnet will tend to re-introduce the ear 170 on the armature 168 of that electromagnet into the coin passageway 173, the ear 158 on the L-shaped lever will be interposed between that armature and the wall 30, and will hold the ear 170 out of that coin passageway. This means that the coin, which was held adjacent the front face of the circular disc 130, will be free to fall downwardly past the opening 45. At the instant that coin is in the position in FIG. 7, the upper portion of that coin will be in engagement with the coin-receiving portion 178 of the actuator 176; and hence that coin will still be holding the switch 174 closed, and the source 126 of motive power will still be energized. However, as that coin moves downwardly below the position 190 and moves toward the position 192, it will move out of engagement with the coin-receiving portion 178; and, thereupon, that coin-receiving portion will be able to move rearwnrdly and into engagement with the front face of the circular disc 130 to permit the switch 174 to re-open. At this time, the source 126 of motive power will become deenergized; and the restorative forces within the torsion Spring 124 will rotate the circular disc 130 back to the position shown by FIG. 1.

As the torsion spring 124 rotates the circular disc 130 in the counter clockwise direction toward the position shown by FIG. 1, the ear 132 on that circular disc will move downwardly; and gravity will thereupon cause the lever 138 to start rotating about the pivot 54 in the counter clockwise direction in FIG. 1. Also, the restorative force within the spring 82, will act through the lever 76 and the ear 140 on the lever 138 to help rotate the latter lever toward the position shown in FIG. 1; and, as that latter lever so rotates, that spring will urge the lever 76 to rotate toward the position which it occupies in FIG. 1. Prior to the time when the levers 138 and 76 reach the positions shown in FIG. 1, the car 132 on the circular disc 130 and the actuator 144 of the switch 142 will move downwardly far enough to permit the movable contact of that switch to move back up into engagement with the upper fixed contact of that switch. Such movement of that movable contact will not be significant at that moment, because the coin switch 174 will already have re-opened. Continued counter clockwise rotation of the circular disc 130 will move the ear 132 out of engagement with the left-hand end of the lever 138; and, thereupon, that lever will return to the position shown by FIG. 1. As that lever returns to that position, the spring 82 will move the circular disc 94 to the left of the position shown in FIG. 1; because the pin 136 on the circular disc 130 will be displaced from the L-shaped lever 150, and hence that L-shaped lever will permit the L- shaped bracket 92 to move to the dotted-line position shown in FIG. 2.

Shortly before the restorative force within the tors on spring 124 returns the circular disc 130 to the positlon shown by FIG. 1, the pin 136 at the rear face of that circular disc will engage the L-shaped lever 150, and will start rotating that lever toward the solid-line position in FIG. 2. Such rotation will initially move the ear 158 on that L-shaped lever out of the path of the armature 168 of the electromagnet 164; and, thereupon, the spring 172 of that electromagnet will move the ear 170 on that armature back through the opening 45 and into the coin passageway 173. Continued rotation of the L-shaped lever r 150 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 2, due to continued rotation of the circular disc 130 in the clockwise direction in that view, will cause that L-shaped lever to re-engage the L-shaped bracket 92 at the rear face of the circular disc 94, and to rotate the lever 76 in the counter clockwise direction to the position shown in FIG. 1. At this time, the coin-handling device of FIG. 1 will have determined that the inserted coin had milling at the periphery thereof, will have caused that coin to pass to the accepted coin cute 186, and will then have restored the components thereof to their normal, at-rest, positions.

If the inserted coin or slug had not had milling at the periphery thereof, or had been so worn that the milling at the periphery thereof was almost imperceptible, the engagement between the periphery of that coin or slug and the milling at the periphery of the circular disc 94 could not have applied a sutficiently strong force to the helical extension spring 100 to cause that spring to stretch far enough to enable the circular disc 94 to move the pin 96 into position to actuate the switch 102. As a result, that switch would have remained open; and the coil 166 of the electromagnet 164 would have remained de-energized, and the ear 170 on the armature 168 would have remained in coin-rejecting position within the coin passageway 173. The circular disc 130 would have caused car the ear 132 thereon to actuate the switch 142, and thereby effect de-energization of the coil 67 of the electromagnet 66; and that circular disc would have caused that ear to rotate the lever 138, and thereby cause the lever 76 to move the circular disc 94 out of engagement with the coin or slug adjacent the front face of the former circular disc. The de-energization of the coil 67 of the electromagnet 64 would move the dimple 74 away from the slug or coin adjacent the front face of the circular disc and the subsequent movement of the circular disc 94 out of engagement with that coin or slug would permit that coin or slug to fall downwardly and away from the circular disc 130. As that coin or slug fell downwardly, it would engage the car 170 on the armature 168 of the electromagnet 164, as indicated by the dotted-line position 194 in FIG. 7; and hence that coin or slug would be kept from moving to the left of the separator 58. Instead, that coin or slug would be forced to pas to, and through, the dotted-line position 196 in FIG. 7; and thus would be forced to pass to the rejected coin chute 188.

That coin or slug would continue to hold the switch 174 closed as it passed to the dotted-line position 194 in FIG. 7; and hence the source 126 of motive power would continue to rotate the circular disc 130 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 1. However, as that coin moved downwardly below the dotted-line position 194, and to and beyond the dotted-line position 196, the switch 174 would re-open and would de-energize the source 126 of motive power-thereby permitting the torsion spring 124 to start rotating the circular disc 130 back toward the position shown by FIG. 1. As that circular disc so rotated, it would successively permit the lever 138 to rotate back to the position shown by FIG. 1, would permit the actuator 144 of the switch 142 to move back to the position shown by FIG. 1, and would permit the L-shaped lever to move away from the left-hand edge of the armature 168 in FIG. 2thereby enabling that L-shaped lever to engage the L-shaped bracket 92 and move the lever 76 back to the position shown by FIG. 1. At this time, the coin-handling device of FIG. 1 would have determined that the coin or slug had no milling, or substantially no milling, at the periphery thereof, would have caused that coin or slug to be directed to the rejected coin chute 188, and would then have returned the components thereof to their normal, at-rest positions.

If the inserted coin or slug had been an undersized coin or slug, the operation of the coin-handling device of FIG. 1 would have been similar to the operation of that coin-handling device when a coin or slug that had little or no milling at the periphery thereof was inserted. Specifically, the engagement between the periphery of that coin or slug and the milling at the periphery of the circular disc 94 could not have applied a sufficiently strong force to the helical extension spring 100 to cause that spring to stretch far enough to enable the circular disc 94 to move the pin 96 into position to actuate the switch 102. As a result, that switch would have remained open; and the coil 166 of the electromagnet 164 would have remained de-energized, and the ear on the armature 168 would have remained in coin-rejecting position within the coin passageway 173. The circular disc 130 would have actuated the switch 142, thereby effecting de-energization of the coil 67 of the electromagnet 66; and that circular disc would have rotated the lever 138, thereby causing the lever 76 to move the circular disc 94 out of engagement with the coin or slug adjacent the front face of the former circular disc. The de-energization of the coil 67 of the electromagnet 64 would move the dimple 74 away from the slug or coin adjacent the front face of the circular disc 130; and the subsequent movement of the circular disc 94 out of engagement with that coin or slug would permit that coin or slug to fall downwardly and away from the circular disc 130. As that coin or slug fell downwardly, it would engage the car 170 on the armature 168 of the electromagnet 164, as indicated 13 by the dotted-line position 194 in FIG. 7; and hence that coin or slug would be kept from moving to the left of the separator 58. Instead, that coin or slug would be forced to pass to, and through, the dotted-line position 196 in FIG. 7; and thus would be forced to pass to the rejected coin chute 188.

It should thus be apparent that the coin-handling device of FIG. 1 is able to separate coins which have milling at the peripheries thereof from coins or slugs which have little or no milling at the peripheries thereof. Such a coinhandling device is particularly useful where the coins to be tested are made of magnetic or paramagnetic material, and thus cannot be separated from coins or slugs by an eddy current test.

It should be noted that each coin or slug, whether it be acceptable or rejectable, will be released in the same position and at the same instant during each cycle of operation of the coin-handling device of FIG. 1. Further, it will be noted that each coin or slug, whether it be acceptable or rejectable, will start moving downwardly along the same path after it is freed from the circular disc 130. In addition, it will be noted that the car 132 on that circular disc is narrow-having a width much narrower than the diameter of a coin or slug; and hence that ear will not hinder or block a coin or slug as that coin or slug falls away from that circular disc.

The pin 136 on the circular disc 130 normally acts through the L-shaped lever 150, the L-shaped bracket 92, and the pivot 90 to hold the periphery of the circular disc 94 away from the ear 134 on the former circular disc a distance equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of an authentic coin of the desired denomination. The diameter of a freshly-minted, larger-than-usual authentic coin of the desired denomination may be greater than that distance; but, in that event, the spring 82 will yield sufiiciently to enable the circular disc 94 to move far enough to the right in FIG. 1 to enable that coin to solidly engage the ear 132 on the circular disc 130. After the pin 136 on the circular disc 130 has moved out of engagement with the L-shaped lever 150, the spring 82 will move the periphery of the circular disc 94 into intimate engagement with the periphery of the coin or slug which is held adjacent the front face of the former circular disc; and that spring will move the periphery of the circular disc 94 into such intimate engagement whether that coin or slug is new and Lin-worn, is old and worn, is undersized, or has a periphery which is free of milling. As a result, the coinhandling device provided by the present invention will urge the periphery of the circular disc 94 into intimate engagement with the periphery of the coin or slug which is held adjacent the front face of the circular disc 130, and thus will enable that coin-handling device to make a full and fair test for the presence or absence of milling at the periphery of that coin or slug.

FIGS. 9-14 disclose a second preferred embodiment of coin-handling device that is made in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention. That embodiment of coin-handling device has a wall 30, a generally circular opening 36 with radially-directed shoulders 38 and 39, a pin 42, an opening 45, a spacer 46, a wall 50, machine screws 52, a coin passageway 53, a pivot 54, a separator 58 of triangular configuration, a guide 60, a wall 62, a lever 76 which has an ear 78 with an opening therein, a helical extension spring 82, a pin 88, a pivot 90, an L-shaped bracket 92, a pin 98, a helical extension spring 100, spacers 110, a strut 112, a sleeve 116, a shaft 118, a torsion spring 124, a disc 130 with ears 132 and 134 thereon and with a pin 136 thereon, a washer 131, a lever 138 with an ear 140 thereon, a pivot 156, a helical extension spring 160, a pin 162, and a coin passageway 173 that preferably are identical to the similarly-numbered components in the coinhandling device of FIG. 1. In addition, the coin-handling device of FIGS. 9-14 has a pivot 200 which rotatably secures the lever 76 to the wall 30; and the pivot 90 rotatably secures a circular disc 202 to the lower end of the lever 76. That circular disc has a notch 204 therein, as shown particularly by FIG. 9.

Ears 206 extend forwardly from the wall 50; and a movable wall 208 has ears 210 which extend rearwardly toward the wall 50 and which are disposed outwardly of the ears 206 on the last-mentioned wall. An elongated pin 214 extends through aligned openings in the ears 206 on the wall 50 and in the ears 210 on the movable wall 208 and through a torsion spring 212 to hold the latter wall and that torsion spring in assembled relation with the former wall. One end of that torsion spring bears against the wall 50, while the other end of that torsion spring bears against the movable wall 208; and that torsion spring will urge the lower end of the movable wall 208 rearwardly toward the rotatable disc 130 but can yield to permit movement of that lower end forwardly and away from that circular disc. An ear 207 is formed on the movable wall 208, and that ear extends rearwardly into the path of the ear 132 on the circular disc 130. A second rearwardly-extending ear 209 is formed on the wall 208; and that ear is engaged by the ear 132 on the circular disc 130 whenever the components of the coin-handling device of FIGS. 9-14 are in their normal, at-rest positions. A pin 211 is carried by the movable wall 208; and that pin extends rearwardly toward the shaft 118 which rotatably supports the circular disc 130. Whenever the ear 132 on that circular disc is in engagement with the ear 209 on the movable wall 208, the lower end of that movable wall will be held far enough forwardly to space the rear end of the pin 211 forwardly of the shaft 118. However, whenever the ear 132 on the circular disc 130 has moved out of engagement with the car 209 on the movable wall 208, and has not yet moved into engagement with the ear 207 on that movable wall, the torsion spring 212 will urge the lower end of that movable wall, and hence the pin 211, into close proximity to the front face of that circular disc.

The numeral 216 denotes a machine screw which extends through aligned openings in the strut 112 and in the lower spacer to seat in a threaded opening in the wall 30. The numeral 218 denotes a spacer which extends rearwardly from the upper portion of the rear face of the strut 112; and an elongated machine screw 220 eX- tends through an opening in an L-shaped latch 222, through the spacer 218, through the opening in the upper end of the strut 112, and through the upper spacer 110 to seat in a threaded opening in the wall 30. The rear end of the spacer 218 is reduced in diameter to serve as a bearing surface for the L-shaped latch 222; and that L- shaped latch has a notch 224 therein, as shown particularly by FIG. 13.

The numeral 226 denotes a sleeve which is telescoped over the shaft 118 and which is disposed rearwardly of the sleeve 116; and the former sleeve has axially-extending projections 228 and 230 thereon. As shown particularly by FIGS. 11 and 13, the axiallyextending projections 228 and 230 are angularly displaced from each other by more than ninety degrees. The axially-extending projection 228 is dimensioned to fit into the notch 224 in the L-shaped latch 222; and that projection can coact with that notch to prevent clockwise rotation of the shaft 118, as that shaft is viewed in FIG. 13.

The numeral 232 denotes the wall of a vending or other machine in which the coin-handling device of FIGS. 9-14 is mounted; and that wall has an opening 234 therein which is defined by a forwardly-extending annular flange. That opening accommodates the hub 238 of a handle 236; and that handle will be disposed exteriorly of the vending or other machine in which the coin-handling device of FIG. 9-14 is mounted. The hub 238 has a socket 240 therein which accommodates the rear end of the shaft 118; and sufficient tolerance is provided between that socket and that rear end to permit the handle 236 to be rotated relative to that shaft. A small recess 242 is formed in the hub 238 of the handle 236 to accommodate one end of a torsion spring 244 that encircles the shaft 118; and the other end of that torsion spring extends into the space between the axially-directed projections 228 and 230 on the sleeve 226. A pin 246 extends forwardly from the hub 238 of the handle 236; and that pin can engage the L-shaped latch 222 and hold that latch in the position shown by FIG. 13.

A helical extension spring 248 has one end thereof hooked around the pin 246 which is carried by the hub 238 of the handle 236; and the other end of that helical extension spring is hooked around a pin, not shown, that is secured to the wall 232 of the vending or other machine in which the coin-handling device of FIGS. 9-14 is mounted. A stop 250 is secured to the wall 232; and that stop extends into the path of the handle 236 to limit counter clockwise rotation of the shaft 118, as that shaft is viewed in FIG. 13. The numeral 252 denotes a second stop which is secured to the wall 232 and which extends into the path of the handle 236; and that stop will limit clockwise rotation of the shaft 118 as that shaft is viewed in FIG. 13.

The numeral 254 in FIG. 11 denotes a generally L- shaped lever which is rotatably mounted on a pivot 156 that is secured to the wall 130. An ear 256 on that lever has an opening 258 therein; and that opening accommo dates one end of the helical extension spring 160. The other end of that helical extension spring is hooked around the pin 162; and that helical extension spring will bias the L-shaped lever 254 for rotation in the counter clockwise direction in FIG. 11.

The numeral 260 denotes a bracket which has two spaced ears extending rearwardly therefrom and from the wall 30; and a machine screw 262 extends through an opening in that bracket to seat in a threaded opening in the wall 30 and thereby fixedly secure that bracket to that wall. The numeral 264 generally denotes a coin-returning element which is shown in detail in FIG. 14; and that coin-returning element has a pivot portion 266 which is confined and guided by openings in the ears on the bracket 260, has -a coin-intercepting portion 268 which extends forwardly through the opening 45 into the passageway 173, has a notch-feeling portion 270 which extends forwardly through an opening 272 in the wall 30, and has a camming portion 269 intermediate the portions 266 and 270. The opening 272 generally resembles the opening 40 in the coin-handling device of FIG. 1; and it is in register with the central portion of the circular disc 202. A leaf spring 274 has one end thereof secured to the wall 30 by a machine screw 276; and the other end of that leaf spring bears against the coin-returning element 264 to urge the notch-feeling portion 270 of that element against the rear face of the circular disc 202. That notch-feeling portion is dimensioned to extend into the notch 204 in that circular disc whenever that notch moves into register with that notch-feeling portion.

The normal, at-rest positions of the components of the coin-handling device of FIGS. 9-14 are indicated by FIG. 9. The ear 132 on the circular disc 130 will underlie the coin passageway 53 defined by the walls 30 and 50; and that ear will engage the ear 209 on the movable wall 208 to hold the pin 211 on that wall out of the path of a coin moving downwardly through that coin passageway. The ear 134 on that circular disc will be close to a horizontal line extending through the axis of the shaft 118; and that car will help hold a coin or slug adjacent the front face of that circular disc. The pin 136 at the rear of the circular disc 130 will be holding the generally L-shaped lever 254 in the position shown in FIG. 11; and that generally L-shaped lever will coact with the L-shaped bracket 92 to hold the circular disc 202 a predetermined distance away from the ear 134 on the circular disc 130. That distance can equal or slightly exceed the diameter of an authentic coin of the desired denominationso that a coin moving downwardly through the coin passageway 53 can seat solidly against the ear 132 on the circular disc 130. The foot of the generally L-shaped lever 254 will be in engagement with, and will underlie, the camming portion 269 of the coin-returning element 264, as shown by FIGS. 11 and 12; and that foot will hold the notch-feeling portion 270 of that coin-returning element out of the path of the notch 204 in the circular disc 202, and will hold the coin-intercepting portion 268 of that coin-returning element within the coin passageway 173. The handle 236 will be held in abutting engagement with the stop 250 by the spring 248; and the sleeve 226 will have the axially-directed projection 228 thereon displaced from the notch 224 in the L-shaped latch 222.

A patron will he able to rotate the handle 236 even before a coin is introduced into the coin passageway 53; and the rotation of that handle will enable the torsion spring 244 to act against the axially-directed projection 228 on the sleeve 226 and thereby rotate that sleeve and the shaft 118 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 13. As that handle is rotated in the clockwise direction in FIG. 13, the pin 136 at the rear of the circular disc will move downwardly and away from the generally L-shaped lever 254; and that generally L-shaped lever will respond to the spring to rotate in the counter clockwise direction in FIG. 11. Such rotation of that generally L- shaped lever will permit the L-shaped bracket 92 and the circular disc 202 to move to the right in FIG. 11; and that rotation also will cause the foot of that generally L-shaped lever to move out of engagement with the camming portion of the coin-returning element 264. Thereupon, the spring 274 will urge the coin-intercepting portion 268 of that coin-returning element for movement out of the coin passageway 173. However, the notchfeeling portion 270 of that coin-returning element will be blocked by the un-notched portion of the circular disc 202; and hence that coin-intercepting portion of that coinreturning element will be forced to remain in that coin passageway. As that handle continues to rotate in the clockwise direction in FIG. 12, the pin 246 which is carried by the hub 238 of that handle will move downwardly and to the left, and thus away from the L-shaped latch 222; and, thereupon, that latch will tend to rotate into the dotted-line position shown in FIG. 13.

When the pin 136 at the rear of the circular disc 202 moved out of engagement with the generally L-shaped lever 254, and thus freed the L-shaped bracket 92 and the circular disc 202 for movement to the right in FIG. 11, the spring 82 moved the latter circular disc into a position where it would have engaged the periphery of any coin or slug introduced into the coin-handling device of FIGS. 9-14. However, because no such coin or slug had been so introduced, the further clockwise rotation of the circular disc 130 in FIG. 9 will not be able to cause rotation of the circular disc 202. Any such further rotation of the circular disc 130 will, however, cause the ear 132 on that circular disc to move out of engagement with the car 209 on the movable wall 208; and that movable wall will then respond to the torsion spring 212 to move the pin 211 thereon toward the front end of the shaft 118. Continued rotation of the circular disc 130 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 9 will move the ear 132 on that circular disc toward the ear 207 on the movable wall 208 and toward the left-hand end of the lever 138. When the ear 132 on that circular disc engages the ear 207 on the movable wall 208, it will move that movable wall forwardly and away from that circular disc; and when the ear 132 on that circular disc engages the left-hand end of the lever 138, it will rotate that lever and thereby move the lever 76 and the circular disc 202 to the right in FIG. 9.

Shortly before the ear 132 on the circular disc 130 engages the ear 207 on the movable wall 208, the axiallydirected projection 228 on the sleeve 226 will engage the L-shaped latch 222 and will start rotating that latch toward the solid-line position shown by FIG. 13. After the ear 132 on the circular disc 130 has engaged the car 207 on the movable wall 208, and also has engaged the left-hand end of the lever 138, the axially-directed projection 228 on the sleeve 226 will move into register with the notch 224 in the latch 222; and, thereupon, that latch will move into the dotted-line position shown in FIG. 13 and will act through that axially-directed projection to hold the handle 236 adjacent the dotted-line position shown in FIG. 13. The latch 222 will be biased by gravity for movement into the dotted-line position shown in FIG. 13; but, if an additional biasing force is desired, a siutable spring can be connected to that latch to urge that latch toward that dotted-line position. Once the axially-directed projection 228 on the sleeve 226 has moved into register with the notch 224, and the latch 222 has rotated into the dotted-line position shown in FIG. 13, the sleeve 226, the shaft 118 and the circular disc 130 will be held in their rotated positions until the handle 236 is released by the patron and the spring 248 pulls the pin 246 on that handle into engagement with the latch 222 to move the upper edge of the notch 224 in the latch out of the path of the axially-extending projection 228 on that sleeve. The time required for the handle 236 to move from the lower dotted-line postion to the upper solid-line position in FIG. 13 may not be very long, but it will provide a desirable delay between the time the circular disc 130 reaches its fully rotated position and the time that circular disc is started back toward its normal, at-rest position.

As that circular disc moves back toward its normal, at-rest position, the car 132 thereon will move out of engagement with the left-hand end of the lever 138, and thus will permit that lever, the lever 76, and the circular disc 202 to move toward the positions shown by FIG, 9. As the ear 132 moves out of engagement with the car 207 on the wall 208, the lower end of that wall will move toward the front face of that circular disc. However, as that circular disc subsequently approaches its normal, at-rest position, the ear 132 thereon will reengage the ear 209 on the wall 208 and will again move the lower end of that wall forwardly and away from that circular disc. In addition, as that circular disc approaches its normal, at-rest position, the pin 136 at the rear thereof will engage the generally L-shaped lever 254, and will rotate that lever in the clockwise direction in FIG. 11; and such rotation will cause that generally L-shaped lever to move the L-shaped bracket 92 and the circular disc 202 to the position shown by FIG. 9. In addition, rotation of the generally L-shaped lever 254 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 11 will cause the foot of that generally L-shaped lever to reengage the camming portion 269 of the coin-returning element 264; and, thereafter, that camming portion will hold the coin-intercepting portion 268 of that coin-returning element in coinblocking position in the coin passageway 173.

It will thus be apparent that while a patron was able to rotate the handle 236 from its normal raised position to its lower rotated position, that patron was unable to effect rotation of the circular disc 202 because he did not insert a coin that had milling at the periphery thereof. Because the circular disc 202 did not rotate, that circular disc kept the notch-feeling portion 270 of the coin-returning element 264 from moving far enough inwardly of the opening 272 in the wall 30 to permit the coin-intercepting portion 268 of that coin-returning element to move out of the coin-passageway 173. As a result, any coin or slug which that patron might introduce into the coin passageway 53 after he started rotating the handle 236 would engage the coin-intercepting portion 268 of the coin-returning element 264 and be directed to the right of the separator 58 in FIG. 9-and thus be directed to the rejected coin chute of the coin-handling device.

In the event a patron inserts a coin which has milling at the periphery thereof and then rotates the handle 236 from the upper solid-line position to the lower dotted-line position shown by FIG. 13, the circular disc will start rotating in the clockwise direction in FIG. 9, and will promptly cause the ear 132 thereof to move out of engagement with the car 209 on the movable wall 208 with consequent movement of the pin 211 carried by that wall into engagement with that coin to force that coin against the front surface of that circular disc. The pin 136 at the rear of that circular disc will move downwardly and to the right in FIG. 11, and will thereby permit the L-shaped lever 254 to move out of the path of the L-shaped bracket 92 and out of the path of the camming portion 269 of the coin-returning element 264. At this time, the helical extension spring 82 will rotate the lever 76 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 9, and will thereby force the milling at the periphery of the circular disc 202 into engagement with the milling at the periphery of the coin. Also at this time, the spring 274 will bias the coin-intercepting portion 268 of the coinreturning element 264 for movement out of coin passageway 173; but the notch-feeling portion 270 of that coin-returning element will engage an un-notched portion of the rear face of the circular disc 202 and will hold that coin-intercepting portion within that coin passageway. By this time, the pin 246 that is carried by the hub 238 of the handle 236 will have moved downwardly and away from the L-shaped latch 222; and that latch will be moved into the dotted-line position shown by FIG. 13.

Ihe force which the notch-feeling portion 270 of the coin-returning element 264 applies to the rear face of the circular disc 202 will not be suflicient to prevent rotation of that circular disc, and hence the milling at the periphery of that circular disc will coact with the milling at the periphery of the coin which is being rotated by the circular disc 130 to cause the former circular disc to rotate in the counter clockwise direction in FIG. 9. Shortly before the ear 132 on the circular disc 130 engages the ear 207 on the movable wall 208, the notch 204 in the circular disc 202 will move into register with the notchfeeling portion 270 of the coin-returning element 264; and, thereupon, the spring 274 will force that notch-feeling portion to move further inwardly of the opening 272, and to move into the notch 204. As that notch-feeling portion so moves, the coin-intercepting portion 268 of that coinreturning element will move out of the coin passageway 173. Also, shortly before the ear 132 on the circular disc 130 engages the car 207 on the movable wall 208, the axially-directed projection 228 on the sleeve 226 will engage the L-shaped latch 222 and will start rotating that latch toward the solid-line position shown by FIG. 13. After the ear 132 on the circular disc 130 has engaged the ear 207 on the movable wall 208, and also has engaged the left-hand end of the lever 138, the axially-directed projection 228 on the sleeve 226 will move into register with the notch 224 in the latch 222; and, thereupon, that latch will move into the dotted-line position shown in FIG. 13 and will act through that axially-directed projection to hold the sleeve 226 adjacent the dotted-line position shown in FIG. 13.

The ear 132 on the circular disc 130 will move into engagement with the ear 207 on the movable wall 208, and will thereby force the pin 211 to move forwardly and out of engagement with the coin held adjacent the front face of that circular disc; but that coin will continue to receive support from the ear 132 and from the milling at the periphery of the circular disc 202, and thus will continue to remain adjacent that front face. The car 132 will then engage the left-hand end of the lever 13-8, and thereby rotate that lever about the pivot 54 to cause the lever 76 to rotate in the counter clockwise direction in FIG. 9. The latter rotation will shift the circular disc 202 to the right in FIG. 9; and the resulting movement of the milling at the periphery of that circular disc away from the milling at the periphery of the coin will enable that 19 coin to fall away from the front face of the circular disc 130 and to move downwardly. That coin will engage the left-hand portion of the top of the separator 58, and will pass to the left of that separator-and thus to the accepted coin chute.

The circular disc 202 will not be able to respond to the restorative force of the spring 100 to return to the position shown by FIG. 9 as soon as the coin falls away from the front face of the circular disc 1130; because the notch-feeling portion 270 of the coin-returning element 264 will be extending into the notch 204 of that circular disc. Also, the circular disc 130 will not be able to return to the position shown by FIG. 9 as soon as the coin falls away from the front face thereof; because the axiallyextending projection 228 on the sleeve 226 will be disposed within and held by the notch 224 in the L-shaped latch 222. However, when the handle 236 subsequently moves back upwardly toward the solid-line upper position shown in FIG. 13, the pin 246 on the hub thereof will move the L-shaped latch 222 toward the solid-line position shown by FIG. 13, and, as the notch 224 in that L-shaped latch frees the axially-extending projection 228 on the sleeve 226, that sleeve and the circular disc 130 will be freed for rotation back to their normal, at-rest positions. As that circular disc approaches its normal at-rest position, it will move the pin 136 thereon into engagement with the generally L-shaped lever 254; and that engagement will cause the foot of that generally L-shaped lever to engage the camming portion 269 of the coin-returning element 264 and thereby cam the notch-feeling portion 270 of that coin-returning element out of the notch 204 in the circular disc 202. Thereupon, the spring 100 will be able to return the latter circular disc to the normal, at-rest position shown by FIG. 9. Continued rotation of the handle 236 and of the circular disc 130 will enable the pin 136 to return the generally L-shaped lever 254 to the position shown by FIG. 11, and thus will enable that generally L-shaped lever to act through the L-shaped bracket 92 and the pivot 90 to move the lever 76 and the circular disc 202 to the positions shown by FIG. 9. As the circular disc 130 moves into its normal at-rest position, the car 132 thereon will again engage the ear 209 on the movable wall 208, and will again move the pin 211 out of the path of coins passing downwardly through the coin passage way 53.

It will thus be apparent that when a coin which has milling at the periphery thereof is introduced into the coin-handling device of FIGS. 9-14, and the handle 236 is rotated from the solid-line upper position to the dottedline lower position of FIG. 13, the circular disc 202 will be rotated until the notch 204 therein reaches the dotted-line position shown in FIG. 9 and permits the coin-returning element 264 to move the coin-intercepting portion 268 thereof out of the passage 173. Also, the circular disc 130 will be moved far enough to move the pin 211 thereon out of engagement with the coin held at the front face of that circular disc, and to rotate the lever 138 far enough to shift the periphery of the circular disc 202 out of engagement with the periphery of the coin. At such time, that coin will be free to fall downwardly to the left at the separator 58 and to pass to the accepted coin chute; and the L-shaped latch 222 will coact with the axially-extending projection 228 on the sleeve 226 to hold that sleeve-and hence the circular disc 130in fully rotate-d position long enough to enable that coin to have ample time to move downwardly into that accepted coin chute.

In the event a coin is introduced into the coin passageway 53 of the coin-handling device of FIGS. 9-14 which has little or no :milling at the periphery thereof, or which is considerably undersized, the rotation of the circular disc 130, in response to rotation of the handle 236 from the upper solid-line position to the lower dottedline position shown by FIG. 13, will cause that coin to rotate, but will not cause the circular disc 202 to rotate far enough to dispose the notch 204 therein in register with the notch-feeling portion 270 of the coin-returning element 264. As a result, the un-notched portion of the rear face of the latter circular disc will force the coinintercepting portion 268 of that coin-returning element to remain in the coin passageway 173; and that coinintercepting portion will direct that coin toward the rejected coin chute when that coin is subsequently released from its position adjacent the front face of the circular disc 130.

It should thus be apparent that the coin-handling device of FIGS. 9-14 can separate coins which have milling at the peripheries thereof from coins which do not have milling at the peripheries thereof. As a result, that coin-handling device is very useful in the testing of coins which are made of magnetic or paramagnetic material and thus can not be separated by an eddy current test.

FIGS. l517 show a third preferred embodiment of coin handling device which is made in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention. That embodiment of coin-handling device has a wall 30, a generally circular opening 36, radially-directed shoulders 38 and 39 in that opening, an opening 45, spacers 46 and 48, machine screws 52, a coin passageway 53, a separator 58, a guide 60, a wall 62, a spacer 110, a strut 112, a shaft 118, a circular disc with ears 132 and 134 thereon and with a pin 136 thereon, a machine screw 216, a spacer 218, a machine screw 220, and a sleeve 226 with axiallydirected projections 228 and 230 thereon, which preferably are identical to the similarly-numbered components of the coin-handling devices of FIGS. l-14. In addition, the circular disc 130 of the coin-handling device of FIGS. 15-17 has a pin 280 thereon; and that pin extends rearwardly from the rear face of that disc. The pin 280 is spaced circumferentially from the pin 136, but both of those pins are spaced the same radial distance from the shaft 118.

The numeral 282 denotes a pivot which extends forwardly from the wall 30 adjacent the upper right-hand corner of that wall, as that wall is viewed in FIG. 15; and that pivot rotatably supports a lever 284. That lever has an car 285 thereon, below the level of the pivot 282, as shown by FIG. 15; and the lower end of that lever carries a pivot 286. That pivot extends rearwardly through an opening in the right-end of an arm 292, which has an arcuate segment 290 at the free end thereof, and also extends rearwardly through a circular opening 288 in the wall 30, as shown by FIG. 16. The periphery of the arcuate segment 290 has milling thereon; and that milling will be complementary to the milling at the periphery of an authentic coin of the desired denomination. An car 294 is provided adjacent the upper edge of the arm 292; and one end of a helical extension spring 302 is hooked around that ear while the other end of that helical extension spring is hooked around a pin 298. That helical extension spring will bias the arm 292 and the segment 290 thereon for rotation in the clockwise direction in FIG. 15 but a stop 296 is in the path of such rotation and will limit such rotation of that arm and segment. The spring 302 can yield to permit rotation of that arm and of the segment thereon downwardly int-o the dotted-line position shown by FIG. 15. A helical extension spring 300 has one end thereof hooked around the ear 285 on the lever 284, and has the other end thereof hooked around the pin 298; and that helical extension spring will bias the lever 284 for rotation in the clockwise direction in FIG. 15, but it can yield to permit rotation of that lever in the counterclockwise direction.

The numeral 304 denotes a small circular opening in the wall 30; and a pivot bracket 306 is disposed below, and to the left of, a theoretical line which connects that opening with the opening 45 in that wall. A machine screw 308 extends through an opening in the foot of the bracket 306 to fixedly secure that bracket to the wall 30; and a pivot 310 is fixedly secured to the bracket 306, and

a sleeve 312 which has an annular groove adjacent the outer end thereof is rotatably mounted on that pivot. The numeral 314 generally denotes a coin-returning element; and that coin-returning element has a hairpin-like portion 316 which engages the annular groove at the outer end of the sleeve 312 and thereby holds that coin-returning element in assembled relation with that sleeve. That coinreturning element has a carnming portion 318 which defines two sides of a triangle, as shown in FIG. 17, it has a coin-intercepting portion 320 which extends forwardly through the opening 45 into the coin-receiving passageway 173, and it has a segment-feeling portion 322 which extends forwardly through the opening 304. The carnming portion 318 is disposed in the path of the pin 136 at the rear face of the circular disc 130; and that carnming portion can be moved by that pin. A leaf spring 330 has one end thereof secured to the wall 30 by a machine screw 332, and has the other end thereof bearing against the coin-returning element 314. That spring will bias the segment-feeling portion 322 of that coin-returning element inwardly of the opening 304 and into the path of the segment 290; but that spring can yield to permit that segment-feeling portion to be moved out of the path of that segment.

The numeral 324 denotes a pivot which extends rearwardly from the rear face of the wall 30; and that pivot rotatably supports a T-shaped lever 326. A stop 328 is disposed adjacent the right-hand side of the stern of that T-shaped lever, and that stop will limit rotation of that lever in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 16. The left-hand end of the cross arm of that T-shaped lever will engage the pivot 286 which is carried by the lower end of the lever 284; and the right-hand end of that cross arm will normally engage the pin 136, and that right-hand end can be engaged by the pin 280 at the rear face of the circular disc 130. The shaft 118 will preferably be connected to a handle which is comparable to the handle 236 of the coin-handling device of FIGS. 9-14, by a linkage which is similar to the linkage shown by FIGS. 10 and 11.

The normal, at-rest positions of the components of the coin-handling device of FIGS. -17 are shown by solid lines in FIGS. 15-17; and, in its normal, at-rest position, the ear 132 on the circular disc 130 will underlie the coin passageway 53 defined by the wall and the guides 46 and 48, and thus will intercept any coins or slugs which move downwardly through that coin passageway. The pin 136 at the rear of that circular disc will be engaging the right-hand end of the cross arm of the T- shaped lever 326, and will be causing that cross arm to hold the pivot 286 adjacent the left-hand edge of the opening 288, as shown by FIG. 16. Consequently, that cross arm will be holding the lever 284 and the segment 290 in the solid-line positions shown by FIG. 15, so that segment will be spaced from the ear 134 on the circular disc 130 a distance close to the diameter of an authentic coin of the desired denomination. The pin 136 at the rear of the circular disc 130 also will be engaging the carnming portion 318 of the coin-returning element 314, and will thus be holding the coin-intercepting portion 320 of that coin-returning element in coin-rejecting position within the coin passageway 173.

Rotation of the shaft 118 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 15 will rotate the circular disc 130 in that direction, and thus will cause the pin 136 to move out of the paths of the cross arm of the T-shaped lever 326 and of the carnming section 318 of the coin-returning element 314. Movement of that pin out of the path of that cross arm will enable the helical extension spring 300 to shift the segment 290 closer to the axis of the shaft 118; and the movement of that pin out of the path of the carnming portion 318 of the coin-returning element 314 will enable the spring 330 to urge the segment-feeling portion 322 of that coin-returning element forwardly into engagement with th rear face of the segment 290. That engagement will, however, keep that coin-returning element from rotating far enough to move the coin-intercepting portion 320 thereof out of coin-intercepting position within the coin passageway 17'3. Continued clockwise rotation of the circular disc will cause the pin 280 at the rear face of that disc to move into engagement with the cross arm of the T-shaped lever 326. That pin will then move that T-shaped lever back to the position shown in FIG. 16; and thus -will force the pivot 28 6 back to the solid-line position shown in FIG. 15. However, because a coin was not introduced into the coin passageway 53, the movement of the segment 290 back to that solid-line position will not be significant at that time. Because a coin with milling at the periphery thereof was not introduced into the coin passageway 53, the rotation of the circular disc 130 did not effect rotation of the arm 292 and of the segment 290 thereon; and hence that segment remain d in the solid-line position shown by dotted lines in FIG. 15 In doing so, that segment continuously blocked inward movement of the segment-feeling portion 322 of the coinreturning element 314; and hence the coin-intercepting portion 320 of that coin-returning element continuously remained in coin-blocking position within the coin passageway 173.

When the circular disc 130 is permitted to return to its normal, at-rest position, the pin 280 at the rear face thereof will move out of engagement with the cross arm of the T-shaped lever 326; and that T-shaped lever will then move against the stop 328 until the pin 13 6 at the rear face of that circular disc re-engages that cross arm of that T-shaped lever. Thereafter, the pin 136 will hold that T-shaped lever in the position shown in FIG. 16 until the circular disc 130 is again rotated in the clockwise direction in FIG. 15. As the pin 13'6 engages the cross arm of the T-shaped lever 326, that pin will again engage the cam-ming section 318 of the coin-returning element 314; and that pin will act to hold th coin-intercepting portion of that coin-returning element in coin-blocking position within the coin passageway 173 until the circular disc 130 is again rotated in the clockwise direction in FIG. 15.

If a patron introduces a coin, which has milling at the periphery thereof, into the coin passageway 53, and if he then effects rotation of the shaft 118 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 15, the resulting rotation of the circular disc 130 will permit a movable wall 208, not shown, that is comparable to the movable wall 208 in FIGS. 9-14, to urge the pin 211 thereon against that coin to hold that coin in assembled relation with that circular disc. Further clockwise rotation of that circular disc will quickly move the pin 136 at the rear of that circular disc out of the path of the cross arm of the T-shaped lver 326 and out of the path of the carnming portion 318 of the coinreturning element 314. Thereupon, the spring 300 will move the milling at the periphery of the segment 290 into engagement with the milling at the periphery of that coin, and the spring 330 will move the segment-feeling portion 322 of that coin-returning element into engagement with the rear face of that segment. Continued clockwise rotation of the shaft 118 will enable the milling at the periphery of the coin adjacent the front face of the circular disc 130 to coact with the milling at the periphery of the segment 290 to drive that segment downwardly toward the dotted-line position shown in FIG. 15.

Prior to the time the ear 132 on the circular disc 130 engages the car 207 on the movable wall, not shown, and shortly before the pin 280 at the rear face of that circular disc engages the cross arm of the T-shaped lever 326, the upper end of the segment 290 will move downwardly below, and out of engagement with, the segment feeling portion 322 of the coin-returning element 314. Thereupon, the spring 330 will rotate the sleeve 312 and the coin-returning element 314 about the pivot 310 until the coin-intercepting portion 320 of that coin-returning element is out of the coin passageway 173. At this time,

the segment-feeling portion 322 of the coin-returning element 314 will be in the path of the segment 290; and that segment-feeling portion will thus be in position to block any movement of that segment back up toward the sol idline position shown in FIG. 15. Continued clockwise rotation of the circular disc 130 will cause the ear 132 on that circular disc to engage the ear 207 on the movable wall, not shown, and thereby move the pin 211 out of engagement with the coin adjacent the front face of that circular disc. Also, that continued clockwise rotation of that circular disc will cause the pin 280 at the rear face of that circular disc to engage the cross arm of the T- shaped lever 326 and thereby effect movement of the segment 290 to the right in FIG. and the resulting movement of the periphery of that segment, out of engagement with the periphery of the coin held adjacent the front face of that circular disc, will free that coin. Thereupon, that coin will fall downwardly past the circular disc 130, to the left of the separator 58, and into the accepted coin chute; because the coin-intercepting portion 320 of the coin-returning element 314 will be held out of the coin passageway 173 by the spring 330.

The spring 302 will tend to return the segment 290 to the solid-line upper position shown by FIG. 15 as soon as the cross arm of the T-shaped lever 326 has moved that segment to the right in FIG. 15; but the segmentfeeling portion 322 of the coin-returning element 314 will block upward movement of that segment. This is desirable; because it will make certain that the coin-intercepting portion 320 of the coin-returning element 314 will remain out of the coin passageway 173 for a period of time which is long enough to assure full release of the coin from. its position adjacent the front face of the circular disc 130. Not until the shaft 118 moves the circular disc 130 far enough in the clockwise direction in FIG. 16 to cause the pin 136 thereon to engage the camming portion 318 of the coin-returning element 314 and to coact with that camming portion to rotate the segment-feeling portion 322 of that coin-returning element out of the path of the segment 290, will the spring 302 be able to return that segment to the solid-line position shown by FIG. 15. As that segment-feeling portion moves out of the path of that segment, the coin-intercepting portion 320 of the coinreturning element 314 will move back into coin 'blocking position within the coin passageway 173. This means that as the components of the coin-handling device of FIGS. 15-17 return to their normal, at-rest positions, the coinintercepting portion 320 of the coin-returning element 314 will automatically be moved back into coin-blocking position to prevent the acceptance of undesired coins.

In the event a coin is inserted which has little or no milling at the periphery thereof or which is considerably undersized, the rotation of that coin with the circular disc 130 will be unable to cause the segment 290 to move far enough downwardly to move the upper end of that segment out of the path of the segment-feeling portion 322 of the coin-returning element 314. As a result, the coinreturning element 314 will continue to hold the coinintercepting portion 320 thereof in coin-blocking position in the coin passageway 173. When that coin is subse quently released from its position adjacent the front face of the circular disc 130as the car 132 on that circular disc engages the ear 207 on the movable wall 208 and the pin 280 on that circular disc engages the cross arm of the T-shaped lever 326 and thus shifts the segment 290 to the right in FIG. 15-that coin will engage the coin-intercepting portion 320 of the coin-returning element and be directed into the return coin chute.

It will thus be apparent that the coin-handling device of FIGS. 15-17 can separate coins which have milling at the peripheries thereof from coins which have little or no milling at the peripheries thereof or which are considerably undersized. Such a coin-handling device is very useful in separating milled coins from unmilled coins where those coins are made from magnetic or paramagnetic materials and thus are not readily separable by an eddy current test.

It will be noted that the ears 134 on the circular discs of the coin-handling devices of FIGS. 18, 9-14 and 15-17 move from initial positions on horizontal lines passing through the axes of the shafts 118 to rotated positions on vertical lines passing through those axes; and this is important because it will keep a patron from effecting the acceptance of unacceptable coins immediately after an acceptable coin has fallen away from the front face of any of those circular discs. Specifically, the ears 134 on each of the circular discs 130 of the coin-handling devices of 'FIGS. 18, 914 and 15-17 will move into rotated positions on vertical lines passing through the axes of the shafts 118; and FIG. 6 shows the rotated position of the car 134 of the coin-handling device of FIGS. 1-8. In their rotated positions, the ears 134 on the circular discs 130 of the coin-handling devices of FIGS. 18, 9-14 and 15-17 will block the coin passageways 53 of those coinhandling devices; so that as the ears 132 of those circular discs move out from under those coin passageways the ears 134 will move into blocking position within those coin passageways. This means that any coin or slug that was introduced into any of the coin passageways 53, as an acceptable coin was falling away from the front face of the circular disc 130, would be intercepted and held by the ear 134 on that circular disc. Not until that circular disc subsequently started moving back toward its initial position could that coin or slug move further downwardly through the coin passageway 53; and, because the ear 132 moves back into position beneath that coin passageway as the ear 134 moves out of position within that coin passageway, that coin would still not be able to pass downwardly below that circular disc. Instead, that coin or slug would be intercepted and held by the ear 132 until the coin-handling device was caused to undergo a further cycle of operation. In this way, the coin-handling device provided by the present invention keeps unacceptable coins from passing to the accepted coin chute.

Whereas the drawing and accompanying description have shown and described three preferred embodiments of the present invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the form of the invention without affecting the scope thereof.

What I claim is:

1. A coin-handling device that has a coin passageway, an accepted coin chute, and a rejected coin chute and that comprises:

a coin-receiving member rotatably mounted adjacent said coin passageway and movable between a normal position and a coin-releasing position,

a coin-holding element on said coin-receiving member that underlies and supports a coin or slug moving through said coin passageway whenever said coinreceiving member is in its normal position, but that does not underlie and support said coin or slug whenever said coin-receiving member has been rotated to its coin-releasing position,

said coin-holding element on said coin-receiving member being spaced away from one face of said coin-receiving member to permit said coin or slug to move into intimate engagement with said one face of said coinreceiving member to receive rotation-inducing forces from said one face,

a sensing member rotatably mounted adjacent said coin passageway and adjacent said coin-receiving member so the periphery of said coin or slug held by said coinreceiving member will be in register with the periphery of said sensing member,

means responsive to movement of said coin-receiving member from said normal position to move said sensing member into engagement with said periphery of said coin or slug,

said periphery of said sensing member having milling thereon that is complementary to the milling at the periphery of an acceptable coin, and

an accept-reject mechanism to effect movement of acceptable coins toward said accepted coin chute and to effect movement of rejected coins or slugs toward said rejected coin chute,

said sensing member being engaged by the periphery of said rotating coin or slug, as said coin-receiving member rotates from said normal position to said coin-releasing position, and responding to the milling at the periphery of an acceptable coin to rotate far enough to cause said accept-reject mechanism to effect movement of said acceptable coin to said accepted coin chute, and responding to the smooth periphery of a slug or unacceptable coin not to rotate far enough to cause said accept-reject mechanism to effect movement of said slug or unacceptable coin to said accepted coin chute,

whereby said accept-reject mechanism will effect movement of said slug or unacceptable coin to said rejected coin chute.

2. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coin-receiving member has a surface with a high coefficient of friction on said one face thereof.

3. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coin-receiving member is disposed at one side, but is disposed out of said coin passageway, and wherein said coin-holding element extends into said coin passageway whenever said coin-receiving member is in said normal position.

4. A coin-hand1ing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coin-holding element is an ear that projects forwardly beyond said one face of said coin-receiving member, said ear having a width appreciably less than the diameter of said coin or slug, whereby no part of said ear will underlie said coin or slug whenever said coin-receiving member is in its coin-releasing position.

5. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coin-receiving member rotates said coin-holding element away from said sensing member as said coin-receiving member rotates from said normal position to said coinreleasing position.

6. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coin-receiving member has a second coin-holding element thereon to help hold said coin or slug whenever said coin-receiving member is in said normal position, and wherein said coin-receiving member rotates said second coin-holding element into position above said coin or slug as said coin-receiving member rotates from said normal position to said coin-releasing position.

7. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coin-receiving member has a second coin-holding element thereon to help hold said coin or slug whenever said coin-receiving member is in said normal position, and wherein said second coin-holding element engages that portion of the periphery of said coin or slug which is remote from said sensing member whenever said coin-receiving member is in said normal position.

8. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coin-receiving member has a second coin-holding element thereon to help hold said coin or slug whenever said coin-receiving member is in said normal position, the first said and said second coin-holding elements coacting with said sensing member to provide three points of support for the periphery of said coin or slug when said coin-receiving member is close to said normal position.

9. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coin-receiving member has a second coin-holding element thereon to help hold said coin or slug whenever said coin-receiving member is in said normal position, and wherein said second coin-holding element also is spaced away from said one face of said coin-receiving member to permit said coin or slug to move into intimate engagement with said one face of said coin-receiving member.

10. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coin-holding element is adjacent said accept-reject mechanism whenever said coin-receiving member is in said normal position, and wherein said coin-receiving member rotates said coin-holding element away from said accept-reject mechanism as said coin-receiving member rotates from said normal position to said coin-releasing position.

11. A coin-handling device that has a coin passageway, an accepted coin chute, and a rejected coin chute and that comprises:

a coin-receiving member rotatably mounted adjacent said coin passageway and movable between a normal position and a coin-releasing position,

a coin-holding element on said coin-receiving member that underlies and supports a coin or slug moving through said coin passageway whenever said coinreceiving member is in its normal position, but that does not underlie and support said coin or slug whenever said coin-receiving member has been rotated to its coin-releasing position,

a pressure-applying member, movably mounted adjacent said coin passageway and adjacent said coinreceiving member, that can move relative to said coin-receiving member to urge said coin or slug into intimate, non-rotative engagement with one face of said coin-receiving member,

said pressureapplying member holding said coin or slug in intimate non-rotative engagement with said one face of said coin-receiving member while permitting said coin-receiving member to rotate said coin or slug relative to said coin passageway,

a sensing member rotatably mounted adjacent said coin passageway and adjacent said coin-receiving member so the periphery of said coin or slug held by said coin-receiving member will be in register with the periphery of said sensing member,

means responsive to movement of said coin-receiving member from said normal position to move said sensing member into engagement with said periphery of said coin or slug,

said periphery of said sensing member having milling thereon that is complementary to the milling at the periphery of an acceptable coin,

means to cause said pressure-applying member to hold said coin or slug in intimate non-rotative engage ment with said one face of said coin-receiving member as said coin-receiving member rotates from said normal position to said coin-releasing position and to cause said pressure-applying member to move away from said coin or slug as said coin-receiving member reaches said coin-releasing position, and

an accept-reject mechanism to effect movement of acceptable coins toward said accepted coin chute and to effect movement of rejected coins or slugs toward said rejected coin chute,

said sensing member being engaged by the periphery of said rotating coin or slug, as said coin-receiving member rotates from said normal position to said coinreleasing position, and responding to the milling at the periphery of an acceptable coin to rotate far enough to cause said accept-reject mechanism to effect movement of said acceptable coin to said accepted coin chute, and responding to the smooth pcriphery of a slug or unacceptable coin not to rotate far enough to cause said accept-reject mechanism to effect movement of said slug or unacceptable coin to said accepted coin chute,

whereby said accept-reject mechanism will effect movement of said slug or unacceptable coin to said rejected coin chute.

12. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said pressure-applying member has an arm that is normally spaced away from said one face of said coinreceiving member, and wherein said arm can move into engagement with said coin or slug to hold said coin or Slug in said intimate non-rotative engagement with said one face of said coin-receiving member.

13. Acoin-handling device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said pressure-applying member has an arm that is normally spaced away from said one face of said coinreceiving member, wherein said arm can move into engagement with said coin or slug to hold said coin or slug in said intimate non-rotative engagement with said one face of said coin-receiving member, and wherein said arm has a friction-minimizing surface thereon that engages said coin or slug and that permits said coin or slug to rotate relative to said arm as said coin-receiving member rotates from said normal position to said coinreleasing position.

14. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said means includes an electromagnetic coil that responds to energization thereof to cause said pressureapplying member to move relative to said coin-receiving member to urge said coin or slug into intimate, nonrotative engagement with said one face of said coinreceiving member, wherein a coin-responsive switch permits said electromagnetic coil to be de-energized Whenever a coin or slug is not in position adjacent said one face of said coin-receiving member, and wherein said coin-responsive switch has an actuator that is adjacent said one face of said coin-receiving member and that responds to movement of said coin or slug into position adjacent said one face of said coin-receiving member to cause said coin-responsive switch to energize said electromagnetic coil.

15. A coin handling device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said means includes an electromagnetic coil that responds to energization thereof to cause said pressureapplying member to move relative to said coin-receiving member to urge said coin or slug into intimate, nonrotative engagement with said one face of said coinreceiving member, wherein a coin-responsive switch permits said electromagnetic coil to be de-energized whenever a coin or slug is not in position adjacent said one face of said coin-receiving member, but will tend to energize said electromagnetic coil whenever a coin or slug is in position adjacent said one face of said coinreceiving member, wherein a second switch is connected between said coin-responsive switch and said electromagnetic coil, and wherein said second switch de-energizes said electromagnetic coil as said coin-receiving member moves into said coin-releasing position.

16. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said means includes an electromagnetic coil that responds to energization thereof to cause said pressureapplying member to move relative to said coin-receiving member to urge said coin or slug into intimate, nonrotative engagement with said one face of said coinreceiving member, wherein a switch permits said electromagnetic coil to be energized whenever said coin-receiving member is in said normal position, and wherein said coinreceiving member automatically causes said switch to deenergize said electromagnetic coil as said coin-receiving member moves into said coin-releasing position.

17. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said means includes an electromagnetic coil that responds to energization thereof to cause said pressureapplying member to move relative to said coin-receiving member to urge said coin or slug into intimate, nonrotative engagement with said one face of said coinreceiving member, wherein a switch permits said electromagnetic coil to be energized whenever said coin-receiving member is in said normal position, and wherein said coin-holding element on said coin-receiving member engages the actuator for said switch and thereby automatically causes said switch to de-energize said electromagnetic coil as said coin-receiving member moves into said coin-releasing position.

18. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said coin-receiving member is disposed adjacent one side of said coin passageway, wherein said pressureapplying member is disposed adjacent the opposite side of said coin-passageway, and wherein said pressureapplying member is normally disposed out of the path of said coin or slug.

19. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said pressure-applying member has a frictionminimizing surface thereof that engages said coin or slug and that permits said coin or slug to rotate relative to said pressure-applying member as said coin-receiving member rotates from said normal position to said coinreleasing position, and wherein said friction-minimizing surface on said pressure-applying member is generally in register with the center of said coin-receiving member.

20. A coin-handling device that has a coin passageway, an accepted coin chute, and a rejected coin chute and that comprises:

a coin-receiving member rotatably mounted adjacent said coin passageway and movable between a normal position and a coin-releasing position,

a coin-holding element on said coin-receiving member that underlies and supports a coin or slug moving through said coin passageway whenever said coinreceiving member is in its normal position, but that does not underlie and support said coin or slug whenever said coin-receiving member has been rotated to its coin-releasing position,

a sensing member rotatably mounted adjacent said coin passageway and adjacent said coin-receiving member so the periphery of said coin or slug held by said coin-receiving member will be in register with the periphery of said sensing member,

said periphery of said sensing member having milling thereon that is complementary to the milling at the periphery of an acceptable coin,

means normally displacing said sensing member from the position occupied by said coin or slug when said coin-receiving member is in said normal position and said coin-holding element is holding said coin or slug, and

further means responsive to rotation of said coinreceiving member toward coin-releasing position to move said sensing member into engagement with said periphery of said coin or slug.

21. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 20 wherein the first said means includes a lever, a pivot rotatably securing said sensing member to said lever, and a displacing element that normally acts through said lever to displace said sensing member from said position occupied by said coin or slug when said coin-receiving member is in said normal position.

22. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 20 wherein the first said means includes a lever, a pivot rotatably securing said sensing member to said lever, and a displacing element that normally acts through said lever to displace said sensing member from said position occupied by said coin or slug when said coin-receiving member is in said normal position, said displacing element responding to rotation of said coin-receiving member out of said initial position to permit said further means to move sensing member into engagement with said periphery of said coin or slug.

23. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 20 wherein the first said means includes a lever, a pivot rotatably securing said sensing member to said lever, and a displacing element that normally acts through said lever to displace said sensing member from said position occupied by said coin or slug when said coin-receiving member is in said normal position, said displacing element being a protuberance that is on and movable with said coin-receiving member.

24. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 20 wherein the first said means includes a lever, a pivot rotatably securing said sensing member to said lever, and a displacing element that normally acts through said lever to displace said sensing member from said position occupied by said coin or slug when said coin-receiving member is in said normal position, said further means including a spring, whereby said sensing member is resiliently urged into engagement with said periphery of said coin or slug.

25. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim wherein an additional means responds to rotation of said coin-receiving member to coin-releasing position to move said sensing member back into said normally-displaced position.

26. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 20 wherein an additional means responds to rotation of said coin-receiving member to coin-releasing position to move said sensing member back into said normally-displaced position, said additional means including a portion of said coin-receiving member.

27. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 20 wherein the first said means includes a lever, a pivot rotatably securing said sensing member to said lever, and a displacing element that normally acts through said lever to displace said sensing member from said position occupied by said coin or slug when said coin-receiving member is in said normal position, and wherein an additional means responds to rotation of said coin-receiving member to coin-releasing position to move said sensing member back into said normally-displaced position, said additional means including a second lever that is engageable by a portion of said coin-receiving member to cause the first said lever to move said sensing member back into said normally-displaced position.

28. A coin-handling device that has a coin passageway, an accepted coin chute, and a rejected coin chute and that comprises:

a coin-receiving member rotatably mounted adjacent said coin passageway and movable between a normal position and a coin-releasing position,

a coin-holding element on said coin-receiving member that underlies and supports a coin or slug moving through said coin passageway whenever said coinreceiving member is in its normal position, but that does not underlie and support said coin or slug whenever said coin-receiving member has been rotated to its coin-releasing position,

a sensing member rotatably mounted adjacent said coin passageway and adjacent said coin-receiving member so the periphery of said coin or slug held by said coin-receiving member will be in register with the periphery of said sensing member,

means responsive to movement of said coin-receiving member from said normal position to move said sensing member into engagement with said periphery of said coin or slug,

said periphery of said sensing member having milling thereon that is complementary to the milling at the periphery of an acceptable coin, and

an accept-reject mechanism to effect movement of acceptable coins toward said accepted coin chute and to effect movement of rejected coins or slugs toward said rejected coin chute,

said sensing member being engaged by the periphery of said rotating coin or slug, as said coin-receiving member rotates from said normal position to said coin-releasing position, and responding to the milling at the periphery of an acceptable coin to rotate far enough to cause said accept-reject mechanism to effect movement of said acceptable coin to said accepted coin chute, and responding to the smooth periphery of a slug or unacceptable coin not to rotate far enough to cause said accept-reject mechanism to effect movement of said slug or unacceptable coin to said accepted coin chute,

whereby said accept-reject mechanism will effect movement of said slug or unaccepted coin to said rejected coin chute,

said coin-receiving member and said coin-holding element thereon rotating all coins and slugs and releasing all coins and slugs in substantially the same location and in substantially the same manner.

29. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 28 wherein said accept-reject mechanism is normally in position to effect movement of rejected coins or slugs toward said rejected coin chute but is selectively movable into a second position where it can effect movement of acceptable coins to said accepted coin chute.

30. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 28 wherein said accept-reject mechanism is normally in position to effect movement of rejected coins or slugs toward said rejected coin chute but is selectively movable into a second position where it can effect movement of acceptable coins to said accepted coin chute, wherein said acceptrejected mechanisms includes an electromagnetic coil, and wherein coin-controlled rotation of said sensing member can actuate a switch to cause said electromagnetic coil to move said accept-reject mechanism from the first said position to said second position.

31. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 28 wherein said accept-reject mechanism is normally in position to effect movement of rejected coins or slugs toward said rejected coin chute but is selectively movable into a second position where it can effect movement of acceptable coins to said accepted coin chute, wherein said acceptreject mechanism includes a lever, and wherein coin-controlled rotation of said sensing member can cause said sensing member to engage said lever and cause said accept-reject mechanism to move from the first said position to said second position.

32. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 28 wherein said accept-reject mechanism is normally in position to effect movement of rejected coins or slugs toward said rejected coin chute but is selectively movable into a second position where it can effect movement of acceptable coins to said accepted coin chute, and wherein said accept-reject mechanism includes a coin-deflecting element disposed in advance of a coin separator, said coin-deflecting element coacting with said coin separator to keep a coin or slug from passing to said accepted coin chute Whenever said accept-reject mechanism is in said first said position, said coin-deflecting element being displaced from said coin separator whenever said accept-reject mechanism is in said second position.

33. A coin-handling device that has a coin passageway, an accepted coin chute, and a rejected coin chute and that comprises:

a coin-receving member rotatably mounted adjacent said coin passageway and movable between a normal position and a coin-releasing position,

a coin-holding element on. said coin-receiving member that underlies and supports a coin or slug moving through said coin passageway whenever said coin-receiving member is in its normal position, but that does not underlie and support said coin or slug whenever said coin-receiving member has been rotated to its coin-releasing position,

a sensing member rotatably mounted adjacent said coin passageway and adjacent said coin-receiving member so the periphery of said coin or slug held by said coin-receiving member will be in register with the periphery of said sensing member,

means responsive to movement of said coin-receiving member from said normal position to move said sensing member into engagement with said periphery of said coin or slug,

said periphery of said sensing member having milling thereon that is complementary to the milling at the periphery of an acceptable coin,

a movable accept-reject mechanism to effect movement of acceptable coins toward said accepted coin chute and to effect movement of rejected coins or slugs toward said rejected coin chute,

said sensing member being engaged by the periphery of said rotating coin or slug, as said coin-receiving member rotates from said normal position to said coinreleasing position, and responding to the milling at the periphery of an acceptable coin to rotate far enough to cause said accept-reject mechanism to effeet movement of said acceptable coin to said accepted coin chute, and responding to the smooth periphery of a slug or unacceptable coin not to rotate far enough to cause said accept-reject mechanism to effect movement of said slug or unacceptable coin to said accepted coin chute,

whereby said accept-reject mechanism will effect movement of said slug or unacceptable coin to said rejected coin chute, and

means, responsive to movement of said accept-reject mechanism, to move into position to hold said acceptreject mechanism, at least momentarily, in position to effect movement of acceptable coins toward said accepted coin chute,

whereby an acceptable coin will have enough time to fall away from said coin-receiving member and to pass by said accept-reject mechanism before said accept-reject mechanism can move into position to effect movement of said acceptable coin toward said rejected coin chute.

34. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 33 wherein said accept-reject mechanism includes an electromagnetic coil and an armature, wherein said armature moves to a predetermined position whenever said sensing member rotates far enough to cause said accept-reject mechanism to effect movement of said acceptable coin to said accepted coin chute, and said means including a stop that at least momentarily holds said armature in said predetermined position.

35. A coinhandling device as claimed in claim 33 wherein a latch holds said coin-receiving member at least momentarily whenever said coin-receiving member reaches said coin-releasing position.

36. A coin-handling device as claimed in claim 33 wherein said sensing member can, at least momentarily, hold said accept-reject mechanism in position to effect movement of acceptable coins to said accepted coin chute.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,784,249 13/ 1930 Norton 194-97 FOREIGN PATENTS 74,974 11/ 1918 Austria. 331,287 7/1930 Great Britain, 332,253 7/ 1930 Great Britain.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

